Steam-engine valve-gear.



No- 797,523. PATBNTED AUG. 15, 1905. P. MILLER.

STEAM ENGINE VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED um.1e,19os.

z sums-SHEET PATENTED AUG. 15 1905.

v P. MILLER. STEAM ENGINE VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.16,1905.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER MILLER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-FOURTH TO FRANKLIN A. MILLER, ONE-FOURTH TO JOSEPH H. BLACKHAM, AND ONE-FOURTH OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TO GEORGE E. HAMBLY,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed March 16, 1905. Serial No. 250,492.

To (LZZ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engine Valve-Gears, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of the invention is to devise a novel mounting for the link of reversing engine valve-gear, to provide novel connections between the crank-shaft or like part and the rods for oscillating the link, whereby lost motion is obviated and a direct thrust through the rods assured and the link rendered steady, and to improve the structure generally and increase its efficiency. as will appear more fully as the nature of the invention and the means for carrying the same into effect are comprehended.

The invention consists, essentially, of the novel features, structural details, and combinations of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated, and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side View of an engine of the upright type provided with a reversing valve-gear embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line w :21 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the parts on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section or plan view on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4C is a detail perspective View of the arm carrying the linkand adjunctive parts. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the yoke mounted upon the crankshaft and having the link-supporting arm attached thereto. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the link and attached crank-arms. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing an interposed gear between the toothed crank-wheels and the spur gear-wheels as to the crank-shaft.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

It is to be understood that the valve-gear is to be applied to any type of engine, whether upright or horizontal and Whether of the 10- comotive, stationary, or marine variety. The

crank-shaft 1 and link 2 may have any relation according to the design of engine equipped with valve-gear embodying the invention. A spur-gear 3, fast to the crank-shaft 1, so as to rotate therewith, imparts movement to crankwhecls 4, mounted upon a yoke 5, loose upon the crank-shaft 1. Rods 6 connect the crankwhecls 4 with opposite ends of the link 2 to impart an oscillatory movement thereto in the accustomed manner. An arm 7, attached at its lower end to the yoke 5, is forked at its upper end, as shown at 8, to receive the link 2 and connections. The lower end of the arm 7 has a pendent portion 9 overlapping the yoke 5 and secured thereto and is further provided with opposite extensions 10, overlapping an edge of said yoke and secured thereto by suitable fastenings. This construction admits of the arm 7 being readily disconnected from the yoke should it become necessary for any purpose. Obviously within the purview of the invention the yoke 5 and arm 7 may be an integral structure. The crank-wheels I are journaled to opposite portions of the yoke 5 upon opposite sides of the crank-shaft, so as to impart a uniform oscillatory movement to the link.

The link 2 is curved and slotted in the accustomed manner and is provided with the link-block 11, to which the valve-rod 12 is connected in the usual way. Cranks 13 are provided at opposite sides of the link 2 and are centrally located and may form an integral part thereof or be separate from and attached thereto. Links 14 are loosely mounted upon the wrists of the cranks 13 or otherwise connected therewith and have connection at their opposite ends with a cross-rod 15, carried by arm 16, projecting from rockshaft 17. Other links 18 connect the members of the fork 8 with said cross-rod 15. The links 14:, cranks 13, and link 2 are arranged in the space formed between the members of the fork 8, whereas the links 18 are exterior to said fork members. The rockshaft 17 is suitably mounted upon any convenient portion of the engine-frame and is provided with an operating-lever 19, by means of which the rock-shaft is moved, so as to shift the position of the arm 7 and link 2 with reference to the link-block 11 to effect a reverse of the engine or to vary the stroke of the valve, as may be required. The operating-lever 19 is adapted to be secured in the adjusted position by suitable means, slotted links 20 being shown and pivoted to the engine-frame at one end and having a fastening 21 operating in the slots of the links and passed through the operatinglever to clamp the links thereto after the valve-gear has been set to the required position.

The rods 6 may be-of any construction and are connected to the link 2 in the usual manner and in operation serve to transmit motion to the link by a direct thrust, whereby any. possible lost motion is wholly obviated and the link made steady. The crank-wheels 4 are provided with spur-teeth, thereby insuring positive movement being imparted thereto from the gear-wheel 3. The connections are such that in the operation of the valve-gear the link 2 has imparted thereto a combined oscillatory and vibratory movement, whereby the valve is reciprocated in the manner well understood. Upon operating the lever 19 to throw the arm 7 to bring the link-block at the end of the link 2 opposite to the position illustrated the engine is reversed, as will be readily appreciated.

In the preferred construction, as shown in Fig. 1, the crank-wheels at have direct connection with the spur-gear 3. However, the arrangement may be varied, and intermediate gearing may be resorted to-such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 7, which illustrates a gear-wheel 22, arranged to transmit motion from the gear-wheel 3 to the spur-crank 24.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In steam-engine valve-gear, the combination of a supporting-arm, a link carried thereby, spur crank-wheels mounted upon said arm and movable therewith, connecting-rods between opposite end portions of the link and said crank-wheels, and a spur gear -wheel mounted coaxiall y with the aforesaid supporting-arm and geared to said crank-wheels to impart positive rotation thereto in any adjusted position of said arm and link.

2. In steam-engine valve-gear, the combination of a supporting-arm mounted for adjustment about an axis and forked at one end, a link arranged in the space formed between 1 said forked members, crank-wheels mounted upon said arm, connecting-rods between said crank-wheels and opposite end portions of the link, a spur-gear mounted coaxially with said supporting-arm and in gear with said crankwheels for imparting positive movementthereto, a rock-shaft provided with a crank-arm, link connections between said crank-arm and the members of the aforementioned fork and the valve-link, and operating meansfor said rock-shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. In steam-engine valve-gear, the combination of a supporting-arm, a link provided at opposite sides intermediate of its ends with cranks, a rock-shaft having a crank-arm provided with a cross-rod, links connecting said cross-rod with the side cranks of the valvelink, connecting means between the supporting-arm and said cross-rod, and operating means for the rock-shaft.

4. In steam-engine valve-gear, the combination of a power-driven shaft, a spur-gear fast thereto, a supporting-arm loosely mounted upon said shaft, spur crank-wheels mounted upon said supporting-arm and in gear with the spur-gear fast to the drive-shaft, a link connected with said supporting-arm for movement therewith, connecting means between said link and the crank-wheels, and means for moving said supporting-arm to shift the position of the link, substantially as set forth.

5. In steam-engine valve-gear, the combination of a shaft, a spur-gear fast thereto, a yoke loosely mounted upon said shaft, a supporting-arm having detachable connection with said yoke, spur crank-wheels mounted upon the yoke and in mesh with the aforesaid spur-gear, a valve-link connected with said supporting-arm, connecting means between the crank-wheels and said valve-link, and means for moving the supporting-arm to shift the relative position of the valve-link, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER MILLER. [L. s.] /Vitnesses:

ALFRED SPEER, 7M. H. SPEER. 

